NPA rebels ransack ranch in Quezon, abduct 6 workers —military

Suspected members of the New People's Army ransacked a ranch and abducted six workers, including two off-duty militiamen, in San Francisco, Quezon province on Monday night.

The Philippine Army's 85th Infantry Battalion said about 50 to 60 NPA rebels raided the Tumbaga Ranch owned by a certain James Murray in Sitio Tumbaga, Barangay Nasalaan at around 6 p.m..

As the rebels escaped, they took with them six ranch workers, including two members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit assigned at Barangay Huyon-Huyon.

The rebels eventually released the six workers.

Lieutenant Colonoel Ely Tono, commander of the 85th Infantry Battalion, said in a statement that the ranch, located in in Sitio Tumbaga, Barangay Nasalaan in San Francisco town, is owned by the family of James Murray.

He said the ranch is located within the "hacienda belt" in Bondoc Peninsula, which consists of three barangays including Pugon, Nasalaan and Pagsangahan.

Tono said the area is believed to be infested with NPA.

The raid came a week after President Rodrigo Duterte announced another possibility of resuming talks with communist rebels.

Duterte terminated peace talks with the rebels in November last year and weeks later tagged the communist group as a terrorist organization. — Peewee Bacuño/BAP/ALG, GMA News